Shopping-related grumbles...

Some days I know exactly what I want to blog about. Some days I just let whatever is in my head flow through to my fingers and out into a blogpost. Then there are some days where there are wisps of thoughts floating around and you try to grab *one* to put into a coherent post and realise that you have a handful of ideas that can all be tied up into one (hopefully). 

Today I have shopping-related grumbles. 

I have found a car that I'd like to buy. It's a local used.... has one owner, no accidents and excellent mileage. I want to buy it. Before I can buy it however, we must do a search... to make sure that car is not mortgaged or any such thing. Current car owner apparently has never had anyone who wanted to do a search before... says he can't hold the car while we do the search... if someone can buy it before then he'll sell it. *sigh* Shouldn't this be a standard procedure? Shouldn't whoever else wants to buy it do a search as well? Bah humbug... and I hope that no one buys it till the search comes back and I can fully decide that I'll take the car. *Fingers crossed!*

Went with Shoeaholic to a shopping centre during our lunch hour. Thought I'd buy myself some exercise gear (aka a sports bra) as Wonderful World currently has a sale going on. There are no sports bras that can properly fit me. I want to start back Zumba. It's a very aerobic activity - I need a sports bra that would provide support but will not flatten squash my chest. Why is this so hard to find? It is apparently easier for a bigger-chested person to find a suitable sports bra. Alas. Will have to look outside of my regular shopping areas... or order something online. 

Then I thought I'd look for a phone. I've gotten used to using my 3G without having major access to the world but I still want to upgrade. It's just that there are so many different phones. I'd like one that is recent (so I don't have to upgrade again any time soon) and can fit in my hand (why are phone-makers making phones so large? what about us people with small hands?!). My dad wants me to get an Android phone... because both he and my brother have Androids. That's fine... but there's so many of them! I've somewhat narrowed down my search to two or three... but then there comes the question of where I can find it. Today I went into three different phone places... they all have phones but there's always pros and cons to consider: differences in price, service, etc. etc. Of course I did not buy a phone today. Maybe sometime soon... maybe.

I found a new clothing store. At first it looked like a guy store... with games and accessories and... guy stuff. But, the guy then showed me into another room and there was girl stuff! I may have gone a bit crazy considering I haven't bought anything not food-related in quite some time. Came away with three tops and a bit of confusion. Surely three tops should not be worth a gabillion (hundreds) of dollars? Right? Ergh. This is why I don't shop. Surely three tops should not cost a gabillion dollars. Except that they did... and if I'd bought the very fabulous top Shoeaholic thought would look good on me I'd be more light-headed and have a much lighter-purse than I do now. Oy.

Yes, I know there's just 2 tops in the photo - the other is black and the Cat wanted to roll in my clothes  - I'd like to keep it as Cat-hair free as possible. 

At least they had my size. Being petite has its advantages but finding clothes is not one of them. Perhaps if I were in the US or UK or somewhere that is not here. Our stores cater for either skinny or fat people. Short or tall persons aren't catered for as much. It can be very frustrating.

Luckily, today I found stuff. They're soft and pretty. Perhaps I won't grumble *that much* about shopping today.

peace,
Ren

Body Awareness...

"It’s also helpful to realize that this very body that we have, that’s sitting right here right now…with its aches and its pleasures…is exactly what we need to be fully human, fully awake, fully alive." ~Pema Chodron 

It's the week leading up to my birthday... it makes me somewhat contemplative (more so than usual). Spending some time reflecting on the different aspects of myself. I'm going to be 29. Some days I feel very old, some days I feel very young. 

Physically - I feel my years. 

Yesterday, I had a rather epic stumble (yes, epic.. it's an overused word but in this case fairly appropriate). I'm somewhat accustomed to that... steady on my feet is not something I am - though one would think, as a Taurus and as someone who has been doing yoga/tai chi/random other things, I'd be grounded. I blame that on my dad's side of the family for reasons too numerous to mention. Today, my ankle and my knee aches and still I dragged myself went to a Zumba class. 

I bless the moment I decided to attend that first Zumba class. It's very freeing and there is a joy in being able to fully move and use all my limbs. I'm not the most coordinated but... I'm getting there... the moves are coming easier, I feel the difference in my body (muscles! I have muscles again!). Sometimes I try to be aware of each movement of my body (breathe in and out, tense and relax), sometimes I just try to flow with the music. In some ways I think I'm more fit now than I've been at most other times in my life. I am definitely happier with my body than I've been at other points in my life. I've never been very fond of exercise but... there's something to be said of the ability to use one's body as it's meant to be used and I've found that it's a very good way to release any stress I may be feeling.

Giving thanks this week... today I give thanks for my body... that I'm healthy and whole and can get it to do what I want it to do (most times). 

Happy Monday all!

peace,

Ren

Playing... Of zumba, family ties and pictionary..

"Play with life, laugh with life, dance lightly with life, and smile at the riddles of life, knowing that life's only true lessons are writ small in the margin." ~Jonathan Lochwood Huie 

I consider myself to be blessed with friends and family. There are times when they drive me to distraction but mostly they fill my life with fun and good times. Today was a reminder of this and so this post is written in appreciation of my people and just an overall good day.

I've been dragging myself out of bed these past Saturday mornings to accompany a friend to an early morning Zumba class. Zumba is fun and it's exercise and although I know this, I'm not particularly motivated to do it at home or go to a class by myself. It's necessary for me to have someone there as I'm then encouraged to be there and to push myself into doing the moves. I always leave the class feeling so much happier with myself - just because of the movement and the music involved - it's a very alive feeling... and something I'd miss out on if I didn't go.

Got home in time to be informed by my cousin that there was going to be a lime.. at my home.. this afternoon. They came with pizza and pictionary. I'm closer with my mom's side of the family - mostly because my cousins on that side are closer in age to my brother and I (I'm the oldest girl) and because they are more into socialising.. My dad's side of the family are mostly older.. and though the bonds there are as strong as those on my mom's side they tend to keep to themselves more. 

It's interesting when my mom and any of her sisters get together - they are so alike in appearance and mannerisms and beliefs... and now that we (the cousins) are getting older we've noticed those similarities appearing in us. I'm grateful for the fact that we can easily gather (however much of us at a time) and spend an evening together.

We played pictionary - not something I've done much of... as I told my cousin we've only had scrabble and chess in the house... monopoly was a very recent addition. Three teams of three persons (one adult i.e. parent per team) - I can barely draw stick figures but I can totally figure out what someone else is drawing.. it was fun - interesting to see how people conceptualise stuff - how a word can be translated into so many different things on paper and yet still come out as a word. Not very competitive though there was a lot of heckling ... and I'm still trying to figure out how one can guess "sick person lying on bed" to "rapunzel" to "sleeping beauty!".. not quite sure how rapunzel got in there. It ended with one winning team, much laughter and plenty of hugs.

An overall really good day.

Hope you had one as well :)

peace,

Ren

Reflections on a Zumba class..

"Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states." ~Carol Welch

I've mentioned in an earlier post that I've started taking a Zumba class... went to my third class yesterday - go me! It's still fun... and still leaves me feeling as though I've exercised. What is Zumba you wonder? According to the site: "It’s an exhilarating, effective, easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party™ that’s moving millions of people toward joy and health." This is only my third class but I've got some pointers for persons new to Zumba (or any majorly aerobic exercise really) like myself...

1. Go with someone you know... went by myself yesterday cuz the girl that introduced me to it couldn't make it... I guess it's the same as if you have to go to a gym? I'm one of those persons that like doing stuff by myself - I can absolutely eat anywhere by myself... shop by myself... go to the movies with myself - for zumba you need someone with you... to cheer you on when you're ready to drop or commiserate when you feel like hurting the instructor or help you work out your coordination - thankfully someone I did know showed up so I had that bit of company.
2. Following from the point above, don't feel bad if at some point you may want to hurt the instructor... maybe not in the beginning of the session when you're excited and not sweaty or tired, towards the middle to the end however... if the instructor says 'c'mon ... one more time...' you may want to hurt the instructor.
3. Drink lots of water... and then drink some more... and in between sets - drink some water. In fact - are you thinking about Zumba? Go drink some water.
4. Comfortable clothing + comfortable shoes... and a towel - I've never sweat so much in my entire life as I have when I'm doing zumba.
5. Have fun... stop if you need to (but keep moving... so maybe just slow down)... ultimately - have fun, feel sexy, move.



peace,

Ren

Life has suddenly gotten very busy...

"Learning is movement from moment to moment." ~Krishnamurti

I'm still here... didn't get taken up in any Rapture - have just been tremendously busy. Sometimes I think there aren't enough hours in the day... and then again sometimes I think that there are too many. These past few days have not had enough hours... there's been very little time for me to sit and actually get down to blogging - I'm stealing a few moments here to do so.

On Sunday I went to a Women's Business Conference hosted by W.O.M.E.N. the Women Owned and Managed Enterprise Network (Trinidad). I had issues with the organisation or lack thereof of the Conference. I had no issues with the presenters who were all very well-spoken and had a wealth of information to share... I encourage you to check them out (more on the conference can be found on the W.O.M.E.N.'s facebook site):

• Janice Learmond-Criqui - Life Coach and Motivational Speaker... she had us dancing!
• Onika Henry - sexual health and pure romance consultant
• Georgina Terry - business and career coach
• Zaf Rahaman - website designer & developer

On Monday I went to my second Zumba class... it's extremely fun... and also exhausting... and you feel like you've exercised (especially if you haven't been exercising).

On Tuesday I had to visit a school in Fyzabad. I'm learning the country thanks to my job... Also went to see Pirates of the Caribbean 4 - Johnny Depp is yum :) and I love pirates... and mermaids... and the whole storyline... so yay me! If you're into any of the above then go see the movie.

Today is a crazy work day... had to go to a school in Princes Town. Got back to work only to find everyone extremely busy (I soon became extremely busy as well) as we've got a Major Work Event tomorrow... which means tomorrow is another crazy work day. 

Going to spend the evening doing absolutely nothing. Hopefully.

peace,

Ren